DOUBLE HEADED BOOBY

Because I am on holidays and have nothing better to add, Neville "Bubble" Oliver:

Nothing Oliver said was done in half measures, and he had a tendency to emphasise every second or third word. Everything was either the greatest or the worst. For instance: "I got a call from this woman from Devonport and she gave me the greatest serve of all time..." If someone had just made a good score he would say" "It was the greatest innings I've ever seen... you wouldn't believe..." If he ever criticised anyone he said: "And I gave him the greatest serve..." After hearing this over and over the other journalists started saying it too. Every little criticism became the greatest serve of all time". For a while it was the tour joke; then we got sick of it and moved onto something else.

~~ Calypso Cricket, the inside story of the 1991 Windies Tour by Roland Fishman

Have they really got sick of it? You barely go a week without a match, catch, shot, innings, goal, mark, you name it, being anointed the greatest ever. Take cricket: us punters are continually expected to believe a catch is the greatest ever despite an identical chance put down being dubbed a sitter missed.

Comments

[m0nty]

If we had lost to Pakistan it would have been the greatest ever cock-up. Since the last one.

[Tony]

Once you start losing matches like last night, matches you have wrapped up, you know things have gone down the toilet.

[Big Ramifications]

Steve Waugh's was the greatest catch ever. Sorry: evarr.

[Tony]

Technically not a catch, since he ran behind the sightscreen.

[Big Ramifications]

It said "caught" on Tawny's scaw cawd. That's all you need to know, big fella.

[Adsy]

That was my favourite greatest moment on my old Commonwealth Bank Classic Cricket Highlights tape when I was a tacker. The catch Geoff Marsh took at short leg off Peter Taylor when he had the ball smashed into him and somehow it stuck was another great-est one. Abdul Qadir (pronouncer car-da now apparently) ripping massive wrong'uns past our no hopers in the 80's was awesome too. You were able to run blokes out at cover then too, circa Border and Clive Lloyd.

[Tony]

I know I have some highlight memories from the 80s. I just can't remember them.

[the Don has Risen]

this is the greatest column involving the greatest load of baloney.
I say this with the greatest confidence on the greatest day I have ever experienced

[Tony]

Don, greatest ever comment.

[Big Ramifications]

I really hate to give props to a commentator for adding to a great sporting moment, but I loved it how Tawny Grieg totally creamed his dacks. I think it was genuine astonishment, not a put on. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU1ku6B4ONI

Steve Moneghetti commenting on Andrew Lloyd's win in the 1990 Commonwealth Games is another that springs to mind.

[Big Ramifications]

And because this blog is all about me, I may as well add...

I've always like these two from Veletta. This standard of catching was ahead of its time, plus I kinda liked how he got all floppy and paraplegic on our asses at the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqAn3PB-xV8&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjRwpqOEqnM&NR=1

This one has always stuck in my mind, too. Great catch, but also because of that crab, Ian Healy's, actions from go to woe. *Mine. Nah, too hard. Shit, should have gone for it. What, Tubby's gonna try and catch it? Please catch it, Tubby. Yaaaaaay!!!*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVue0HX9SSs

[Carrot]

Not a catch, but this has provoked a fair amount of debate chez Carrot lately....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L9c5JbicTQ

As in "just how good WAS it?" I'm going for very, very, very good. At nudging 140 kph what's more.

[Tony]

Don't ya just hate it when ICC Development (International) Ltd pull vid-joes from Youtube.

[Carrot]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNPRA7RTRPs

Try this then. Not as long, but the same footage.